Loose-leaf binder.



A. M. SOUTHARD.

LOOSE LEAP BINDER.

APPLICATION FILED .nnmso, 1910.

Patented June 13, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

vwewfoz witnesses @2 mg NoRRls PETER: c0, WASHINQTYJN. n. c.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented June 13, 1911.

A. M. SOU THARD.

LOOSE LEAFBINDER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 30, 1910.

I qvi/bneoow UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ABRAHAM M. SOU'II-IARD, OF DENVER, COLORADO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO THEWHEELER PUBLISHING COMPANY, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

LOOSE-LEAF BINDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 30, 1910.

Patented June 13, 1911. Serial No. 569,706.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ABRAHAM M. SOUTH- ARD, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing in the city and county of Denver and State of Colorado,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Loose-Leaf Binders;and I do declare'the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures ofreference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in loose leaf binders, and consistsof arranging within a covera number of pins which are adapted to bepassed through perforations formed in the loose leaves. These pins arepermanently mounted upon a bar which is secured within the cover on oneside of the book. A locking bar is secured within the cover on theopposite side of the book, and arranged to receive the opposite ends ofthe pins. This locking bar may be detached and disconnected from lookingengagement with the pins, whereby one side of the book may be thrownback into a position so that the loose leaves may be inserted on thepins or removed therefrom.

Having briefly outlined my improved con struction, I will proceed todescribe the same in detail, reference being made to the accompanyingdrawing in which is illustrated an embodiment thereof.

In this drawing: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a cover showing thedevice secured in the binding thereofwFig. 2 is a top plan view of acover in the open position and illustrating the device secured therein.Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the cover in the closed position,illustrating the device secured therein. Fig. 4 is a side elevation ofthe device removed from the cover, and showing the removable barattached to the pins. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the removable bar takenon the line 5-5 of Fig. 4, looking in the direction of the arrow, andshowing the bar secured to the pins. Fig. 6 is a side elevation showingthe device removed from the cover, and showing the removable bar inposition to-be detached from the pins. Fig. 7

is a plan view of the removable bar taken ,on the line 7-7 in thedirectionof the arrow in Fig. 6, illustrating the bar in position to beremoved from the pin. Fig. 8 is a sectional elevation of one end of theclevice, showing the removable bar locked in position on the removablepin and illustrating the means whereby the same is unlocked in removingthe bar. Fig. 9 is a sectional elevation of one end of the deviceillustrating the removable bar in position to be removed andillustrating the position of the locking device after the same has beenunlocked. Fig. 10 is a plan view of one end of the removable bar,illustrating the same in a locked position. Fig. 11 is a plan view ofthe removable bar, illustrating the same in the unlocked position. Fig.12 is a view illustrating the means for applying the loose sheets to thedevice.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the views.

Let the numeral 5 designate a cover in which the loose leaves 6 areplaced. a 7, a bar arranged transversely of the cover and secured inposition by means of a piece of fabric 8, secured to the cover over thebar. To the bar 7 is permanently attached pins 9, adapted to be passedthrough the perforations formed in the loose sheets.

10 is a removable bar which issecured transversely to the cover on theopposite side from the bar 7, as shown at 11. This bar 10 is held inposition in the cover in the same manner as the bar 7. The bar 10 isprovided with recesses 13, which are stamped therein, and are adapted toreceive the ends of the pins 9.

On the inward side of the bar 10 is a slidably mounted bar 14, havinglongitudinal slots 15, through which are inserted rivets 16, anchored inthe bar 10, whereby the bar 10 is permitted a limited degree oflongitudinal movement. The bar 14 is provided with recesses 17cooperating with the recesses 13 of the bar 10. These recesses 17 arecut out of the bar 14 in such a manner that one side of the recesses isopen and the other side is closed by a projection or looking device 18.The extremities of the pins 9, which project into the recesses 13 of thebar 10, are provided with a circumferential groove 19, whereby when thepins have been inserted in the recesses 13 of the bar 10, the bar 14 isshifted to cause the locking member 18 of the recesses 17, to be broughtinto engagement with the circumferential groove 19, thus holding the barin looking engagement with the pins 9.

One extremity of the bar 10 is provided with an inwardly turned portion20, having an opening2l, through which one extremity of the bar 14passes. The extremity of the bar 14 passing through the opening 21, isreduced in size to form shoulders 22, which come into engagement withthe inwardly turned portion 20 of the bar 10 to limit the longitudinalmovement of the bar 14. The opening 21 is wider than the bar 14, wherebythe bar 14 is permitted a limited degree of lateral movement. The bar 10is provided with an opening 23, a short distance from the inwardlyturned portion 20. This opening is adapted to receive a locking device24 stamped out of the bar 14. Forward of the locking device 24, the bar14 is provided with a recess 25, adapted to receive a hooked andlaterally deflected extremity 26 of a key 27. When it is desired toremove the bar 10 from the pins 9, the key 27 is inserted through theopening 21 of the inwardly turned portion 20, of the bar 10, between thebars 10 and 14, thus forcing the bar 14 outwardly, whereby the lookingdevice 24 of the bar 14 is removed from the opening 23, and the hookedextremity 26 of the key 27 enters the opening 25. The bar is now inposition to be moved on the bar 10 to bring the locking device 18 of thebar 14 out of engagement wit-h the pins 9. This is accomplished bypulling on the key 27.

It is found to be desirable to form a recess 28 in one extremity of thepins 9, whereby the loose leaves are readily placed on the pins by firstplacing them on a suitable guide pin 29, shown in Fig. 12, the point ofwhich is adapted to be inserted in the recess 28 to prevent the samefrom slipping. number of these guide pins 29, corresponding with thenumber of pins for holding the leaves in the cover, may be permanentlysecured upon a bar in such a manner that they are of the same distanceapart as the pins for holding the leaves in the cover, whereby thepoints of the pins will register with the openings 28 formed in the topof the pins 9. The pins 29 may be used for punching the perforations inthe loose sheets or the perforations may be first punched in the sheets,and then strung upon the pins 29. After the sheets have been strung uponthe pins 29, the points of the pins are inserted in the openings 28 ofthe pins 29, and the sheets slid-downwardly on to the pins 9.

From the foregoing description the use and application of my loose leafbinder will .be readily understood. The bars 7 and the removable bar 10are secured in opposite sides of the cover 1n such a manner that oneextremity of the removable bar is exposed,

so that the locking key 27 may be inserted in the opening 21 between thebars 10. and 14, for moving the bar 14 to engage and disengage the pins9. Assuming that the cover is in the positions shown in Figs. 1 and 2,and that the bar 14 has been slid to the unlocked position, the key 27is inserted in the opening 21, of the inwardly projecting portion 20 ofthe bar 10, between the bars 10 and 14, whereby the extremity of the key27 engages the locking device 24, to push the bar 14 into the lockingposition. Before the bar 14 is slid to the locking position, the coveris thrown to the dotted line position, as shown in Fig. 1, whereby therecess 18 in the bar 10, receives the pins 9, then the bar 14 may beslid to locking engagement with the pins 9 by pushing on the key. Thismovement of the bar causes the locking projections 18 thereof to be slidinto the circumferential grooves 19, and at the same time the lockingdevice 24 is moved to register with the opening 23 in the bar 10, thusallowing the locking device 24 to drop into the opening 23, after thekey has been removed from between the two bars. In order to unlock thebar 10 from engagement withthe pins 9, the key is inserted between thebars 10 and 14, through the opening 21, in the inwardly projectingportion 20 of the bar 10, in such a manner that the lateral projection26 of the key 27 will enter the opening 25 inthe bar 14. As the key isinserted between the bars in this manner,the bar 14 is pried away fromthe bar 10, thus releasing the locking device 24 from theopening 28, andat the same time the hooked extremity of the key enters the. opening 25of the bar 14, whereby the same may be. pulled forwardly for unlockingvthe bar 10 from engagement with the pins 9. j V

V In order that the bar 10 may be secured in the cover and at the sametime permit movement of the bar 14, a recess 30 is formed in the bar 14and registers with a perforation 31, through which a thread, rivetorrother suitable fastening device is passed for securing the bar 10 tothe cover.

This recess 30 is large enough to permit of the full limit of itssliding movement without coming into contact with its fastening meanspassed through the bar 31 Having thus described my invention, whatIclaim is: V I

1. A loose leaf binder, consisting of pins for holding the loose sheetsin position, parallelly arranged bars connected with the extremities ofthe said pins, one of the said bars being permanently connected with thepins, while the other bar is removably connected therewith, a slidablymounted bar carried by the removable bar for locking the latter on thepins, a locking device stamped out of the slidably mounted bar, theremovable bar having an opening into which the locking device is adaptedto project for holding the slidably mounted bar in interlocking relationwith the pins, and means adapted to be inserted between the removablebar and the slidably mounted bar for releasing the locking device fromthe open ing formed in the removable bar, and for disconnecting theslidably mounted bar from its interlocking relation with the pins,substantially as described.

2. A loose leaf binder consisting of pins for holding the loose sheetsin position, and parallelly arranged bars, connected with theextremities of the said pins, one of the said bars being permanentlyconnected with the pins, while the other bar is movably connectedtherewith, the removable bar having one extremity turned inwardly, andprovided with an opening in the inwardly turned portion, a slidablymounted bar carried by the removable bar for locking the latter on thepins, the said slidably mounted bar having one extremity projectingthrough the opening formed in the inwardly turned portion of theremovable bar, a locking device formed on the slidably mounted bar, thesaid locking device being adapted to interlock with the removable barfor holding the slidably mounted bar in interlocking relation with-thepins, and means adapted to be inserted between the removable bar and theslidably mounted bar through the opening formed in the inwardly turnedportion of the removable bar, whereby the slidably mounted bar may beslid out of the interlocking relation with the pins, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ABRAHAM M. SOUTHARD. Witnesses:

J NO. G. POWELL, F. E. BOWEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

